Josh Pool

Charles Spurgeon once preached on the importance of gathering the church for prayer, saying,

“The prayer meeting must be maintained at all cost. The communion of the church with God must never be broken. If you visit a factory, you may see thousands of wheels revolving, and a host of hands employed. It is a wonderful sight. Where is the power that keeps all this running? Look at the slated shed! Come into this grimy place, smelling of oil. What is it? It is the engine-house. You do not think much of it, but that is the center of power. If you stop the engine, every wheel will stand still. Some good people say, ‘I am not going out tonight. It is only a prayer meeting.’ Just so. It is only the engine, but that is everything. Go on board a great ocean steamer, bound for New York. You say, ‘I have been in the saloon. I have seen the wonderful luxuries provided for the passengers. It is a marvelous vessel.’ Did you look at her engines? ‘What! Go down that ladder? I saw some [of the workers] below, stoking great fire; but I did not care for that.’ Talk not so. If it were not for those sooty stokers, the grand saloon and the fine decks would be of no use. Prayer is the engine of the church; it supplies the force. I like to see the engines going—praying, praying, praying, praying!”

(Only A Prayer Meeting, 82; Christian Heritage [2022]; emphasis added).

‘The prayer meeting must be maintained at all cost…It is the center of power…Prayer is the engine of the church.’ If we hope to do anything for the Lord, we must pray. If we want to honor him with our lives, we must pray. If we want to see our church have gospel influence inside and out, we must pray. We must be a people of prayer. God is pleased to bless a praying people. He is pleased to work through a people who seek him and his strength (Ps 105.4).

Our goal this week is to pursue God, to believe in the power of a God who answers prayers, to have our hearts enflamed, and our petitions heard. It will not be flashy. It will feel rather ordinary. But it is often through these ordinary means that God is pleased to act. In his sovereign goodness, he works through the faith-filled prayers of his people. Prayer works. And it is worthy of our time, our minds, and our hearts.

So then, let’s stoke the engine of Covenant Baptist Church. Let’s go before him, asking for his glory to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea; asking for our hearts to be captured by his beauty; asking for the Spirit to save our family members, co-workers, and neighbors; asking for God to move in might among the unreached; asking him to meet our needs and to comfort us in our sorrows; asking him to strengthen us for the road ahead; asking for him to return for his bride. Let’s go to him. He kindly waits for us.

See you this week!